Bath and North East Somerset

Bath and North East Somerset's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, health and work life.

The population reached nearly 180,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Bath and North East Somerset increased by 4.1%, from about 169,000 to 176,000.

The addition of just under 7,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bath and North East Somerset was home to, on average, 3.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Change in work life

This area saw the South West's largest fall in the proportion of employed people.

Across the region, Swindon saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of employed people (from 63% in 2001 to 61% in 2011).

In 2011, just under one in two (50%) people aged 16 to 74 in Bath and North East Somerset said they were employed, compared with 52% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 2.7%.

The rate of employment was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that that said they were employed across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Fall in home ownership

The percentage of households that owner their home fell in Bath and North East Somerset, but at a slower rate than in nearby South Gloucestershire.

In Bath and North East Somerset, the proportion of home ownership decreased from 71% in 2001 to 67% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in South Gloucestershire decreased from 82% to 75%.

Across the South West, the share of households that owner their home decreased from 72% to 67%.

Private renting in Bath and North East Somerset increased from 11% to 17%, while the rate of social housing remained close to 14%.

The rate of home ownership was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households that that owner their home across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bath and North East Somerset residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.4% to 4.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Bath and North East Somerset residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bath and North East Somerset decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bath and North East Somerset, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Bath and North East Somerset working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 13% to 9.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 13% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Bath and North East Somerset decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bath and North East Somerset, the South West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Bath and North East Somerset

The number of people in Bath and North East Somerset from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 1,800 in 2001 to about 4,600 in 2011. This represents a change from 1.1% to 2.6% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South West (from 1.0% to 2.0%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 5.2% to 8.0%).

The number of people in Bath and North East Somerset from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 160,000 in 2001 to about 170,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 97% to 95%. The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 1,700 to about 2,900 (from 1.0% to 1.7%).

Just over 1,300 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 780 in 2001 (0.8%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Bath and North East Somerset increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bath and North East Somerset by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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